Black farmers get money from discrimination case

ALBANY, GA (WALB) – Some black south Georgia farmers are about to get money they've waited years for. A discrimination case is officially settled.

Wednesday evening President Obama signed the Claims Resolution Act of 2010. It provides 1.5 billion dollars for African American and 3.4 billion to Native American farmers around the country.

Representative Sanford Bishop was at the bill signing along with a member of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives which has an office here in Albany.

They say this settlement was a long time coming.

"You know everything has come to the forefront and money has been appropriated. This will be a big relief on us and that way farmers can get back to their normal operations," said Cornelius Key with Federation of Southern Cooperatives.

"This isn't simply a matter of making amends. It's about reaffirming our values on which this nation was founded, Principals of fairness and equality and opportunity," said the President in Washington Wednesday evening. The U.S. Agriculture Department admitted loans to many minority farmers were delayed or denied over the years because of their race.

Farmers included in the settlement had to be farming between 1981 and 1996.

Children play non-competitive baseball to grow teamwork skills (Source: WALB)

Some children with special needs hit the baseball diamond for their fourth season today! The Challenger League, a Leesburg-based non-profit, gives children with special needs the opportunity to play non-competitive sports with each other.

Some children with special needs hit the baseball diamond for their fourth season today! The Challenger League, a Leesburg-based non-profit, gives children with special needs the opportunity to play non-competitive sports with each other.